Joint construction



March 4, 1958 M. B. RUBENSTEIN 2,825,101

' JOINT CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 28, 1955 INVENTOR MORRIS B. RUBENSTEINiiw, 7%

2,825,101 rammed Mar..4,1958

JOINT CONSTRUCTION Morris B. Rubenstein, Eastover, S. C.

Application October 28, 1955, Serial No. 543,503

8 Claims. (CI. 20-92) This invention relates to,joint constructions andmore particularly to an. easily assembled and disassembled frictionjoint which does not require the use of fastening means such as nails,screws, glue, pegs or dowels, or the use of special tools.

,The joint construction of the invention is particularly adapted for usein making knock-down furniture and will be described as embodied infurniture construction, but may also be used in other types ofconstruction or articles in which it is. advantageous to have membersconnested in easily assembled and disassembled relation.

The use of the joint construction of the invention permits economicalmanufacture of attractive and highquality furnitureof modern style. Afurther advantage of the joint construction is that it. permits theconstruction of furniture which may be easily stored and shipped inknocked-down condition. and which may be quickly and easily assembledwhen received into sturdy and attractive articles of furniture.Furniture which can be readily assembled and disassembled in the mannerpossible using. the-joint construction of thisinvention is of greatutility, particularly for people. who frequently move from place toplace, such as Armed Service personnel, and also for people who liveinmobile homes and other places where space isat a premium.

Accordingly,it is an object of this invention to provide a jointconstruction particularly useful in furniture and the like which permitsthe construction of jointed articles without the use of fastening meanssuch as nails, screws, glue, pegs, or dowels and without special tools.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a joint constructionparticularly useful for constructing furniture and the like whichpermits the construction and assembly'of articles of the'knock-down typewhich may be easily assembled and disassembled.

Furtherobjects and advantages of the invention will become apparent;from the following description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying'drawing in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of an article of furniture constructed inaccordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view. in vertical section illustrating details of the. jointconstruction of the invention;

Fig. 3 Iis.a fragmentary top plan view of the device of Fig.1;and"

Fig. 4 is an exploded view illustrating the relation of the. elementsforming; the joint construction.

Referring now to the drawing, there is shown a shelf structure generallyindicated at including a plurality of horizontal shelf members 12, 14,16 and 18. Each pair of adjacent shelf members are spaced apart byvertically extending wall members 20, a pair of vertical members 20being positioned adjacent opposite ends of each pair of spaced shelves.A pair of oppositely disposed vertical members 22 of shorter height thanthe vertical members 20 are positioned beneath the undersurface of thebottom shelf 18 and serve to support the shelf structure on the floor. Apair of oppositely disposed short s! vertical members 24; also. extendupwardly from the top surface of the. uppermost shelf 12.

In accordance with the invention, all of the elements of shelf structure10 are held in. assembledv relation by the use of wedges such asthoseindicated at. 26 and 2.8 in Fig. 2. The joint. construction of theinvention will be described as embodied in the joint between horizontalshelf 12 and. alignedvertical members 24 and 2t). Members. 2.0v and 24are symmetrical about a common vertical axislying in a plane.perpendicular to the plane of. shelf 12,. and the. corresponding sidesurfaces of members, and 24: also lie. in. common planes perpendicularto. and intersecting the. plane ofshelf12', Only one. joint will bedescribed, it beingv understoodthat similar joints. are used throughout.the. shelf structure. Thus, in the illustrated embodiment, two joints,are used at each end of each shelf, adjacent the forward and rear edges,respectively, of, the shelf,

In order to permit the wedged connection of. the members. 12', 20 and;24, at the joint, shelf member 12 is. provided with a longitudinallyextending slot 30 extending transversely of the plane in, which, members20. and 24 lie when the joint is completed. The slot is made of slfficient length to extend on either side of the opposite surfaces of therespective members 24 and 20'.

Members 12, 24 and 2.0. are joined together in the assembledrelationship shown in the drawing by positioning; members. 2,0 and 24 inperpendicular contact with the upper and lowersurfaces, respectively, ofthe member 12. intermediate, the; length of slot 30. Wedges 26 and 28are then; driven. into position through slot 30 adjacent the oppositesurfaces of the respective members 20 and 24. The wedges finally assumethe position shown inFigs. 1, Zand 3- of the drawing, in which each ofthe respective wedge members tightly engages the opposite surfaces ofboth, members 20 and 24 and also the surface of shelfmember 12 tosecurely holdrnembers 2t) and 24 in assembled relation with respect toeach other and withrespect to member 12. Thus, the use of wedges 26 and28 passing throughslot 30 permits the connection of members 20 andfl24on opposite sides of an intermediate member 12- in. rigidly assembledrelation with respect to each other and-also with respect to theintermediate member. Each of themembers 20 and 24' is positionedentirely on one side of member 12 and is held in frictional engagementwith member 12 due solely to the wedging engagement of wedges 26 and 23.

If desired, one ofthe elements 26 or 28 need not be a wedge, butinsteadmay be a stop member disposed in the same positionasthe wedgemember which it replaces and engaging the surfaces of members 12, 20 and24. However, at least one: of the elements 26 or 28 must be awedge.Furthermore, one of the elements 26 or 24 may be merely a stop member,serving only to maintain the wedged joint tightly engaged, withoutserving a structural function in the jointed article. In suchevent, thestop member substituted for either'member 20 or 24 isdisposedbetweenzwedges26 and 28in engagement therewith, and alsopreferably in engaged relation with member '12.

Itcanbe seen from the foregoing that the joint con- .structionhereinbefore described has-great practical utility in the constructionof many types of articles, and particularly furniture and the like, inwhich it is desirable that the article be capable of easy assembly anddisassembly. Furniture using the joint construction of the invention canbe shipped and stored in knock-down condition and quickly and easilyassembled when required.

While there has been shown and described a particu lar embodiment of theinvention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that variouschanges and modifications may be made therein without departing from theinvention and, therefore, it is aimed to cover all such changes andmodifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A joint construction comprising separable first, second and thirdjoined members each having opposed planar surfaces, said second andthird members being aligned with each other along an axis substantiallyperpendicular to said first member, said second and third members respectively engaging opposite surfaces of said first member, said firstmember having a slot therein extending transversely of said axis andprojecting beyond the opposite surfaces of the respective second andthird members on either side of said axis, and separate wedge meansextending through said slot on opposite sides of said axis andfrictionally engaging said first, second and third members to hold saidmembers in assembled relation.

2. A joint construction comprising separable first, second and thirdjoined members each having planar surfaces, said second and thirdmembers being aligned in a common plane perpendicular to the plane ofsaid first member and respectively engaging opposite surfaces of saidfirst member, said first member having a slot therein ex tendingtransversely of said common plane and projecting beyond the oppositesurfaces of the respective second and third members bounding said commonplane, and separate wedge means extending through said slot on oppositesides of said common plane and frictionally engaging said first, secondand third members to hold said members in assembled relation.

3. A joint constructioncomprising separable first, second and thirdjoined members, each having planar surfaces, said second and thirdmembers being aligned in a common plane intersecting the plane of saidfirst member and respectively engaging opposite surfaces of said firstmember, said first member having a slot therein extending transverselyof saidcommon plane and projecting beyond said second and third memberson opposite sides of said common plane, a first wedge member extendingthrough said slot on one side of said common plane and frictionallyengaging said first, second and third members on said one side of saidcommon plane, and a second Wedge member extending through said slot onan opposite side of said common plane and frictionally engaging saidfirst, second and third members on said opposite side of said commonplane.

4. A joint construction for furniture and the like comprising apanel-like first member, and second and third members having opposedplanar surfaces and respectively engaging opposite surfaces of saidfirst member, said second and third members being aligned with eachother along an axis substantially perpendicular to said first member,said first member having a slot therein extending transversely of saidaxis and projecting beyond the opposite surfaces of the respectivesecond and third members on either side of said axis, and separate wedgemeans extending through said slot on opposite sides of said axis andfrictionally engaging said first, second and third members to hold saidmembers in assembled relation.

5. A joint construction for furniture and the like comprising apanel-like first member lying in a horizontal plane, and second andthird members having opposed planar surfaces and respectively engagingopposite surfaces of said first member, said second and third membersbeing aligned with each other along a vertical axis substantiallyperpendicular to said first member, said first member having a slottherein extending transversely of said axis and projecting beyond theopposite surfaces of the respective second and third members on eitherside of said axis, and separate wedge means extending through said sloton opposite sides of said axis and frictionally engaging said first,second and third members to hold said members in assembled relation.

6. A joint construction comprising separable first, second and thirdjoined members each having planar surfaces, said second and thirdmembers being aligned in a common plane intersecting the plane of saidfirst memher and respectively engaging opposite surfaces of said firstmember, said first member having a slot therein extending transverselyof said common plane and projecting beyond opposite bounding surfaces ofsaid common plane, stop means engaging said first member and extendingthrough said slot in engagement with corresponding surfaces of saidsecond and third members on one side of said common plane, and wedgemeans engaging said first member and extending through said slot inengagement with corresponding surfaces of said second and third memberson an opposite side of said common plane, said stop means and said wedgemeans cooperating to hold said first, second and third members inassembled relat1on.

7. A joint construction comprising separable first and second joinedmembers, each having opposed parallel planar surfaces, said first andsecond members lying in mutually perpendicular planes, an edge of saidsecond member engaging a surface of said first member intermediate thelength of said surface, said first member having a slot thereinextending transversely of the plane of said second member and projectingbeyond the opposite surfaces of said second member bounding said plane,a separate wedge member engaging said first member and extending throughsaid slot on each side of the plane of said second member, each wedgemember respectively engaging an opposite surface of said second member,and a stop means lying in a common plane with said second member andinterposed between the wedge members adjacent an opposite surface ofsaid first member than that engaged by said second member.

8. A joint construction comprising separable first, sec ond and thirdjoined members each having opposed planar surfaces, said second andthird members being aligned in a common plane intersecting the plane ofsaid first member and respectively engaging opposite surfaces of saidfirst member, said first member having a slot therein extendingtransversely of said common plane and projecting beyond oppositesurfaces of said second and third members bounding said common plane,and separate friction members extending through said slot on oppositesides of said common plane and frictionally engaging said first, secondand third joined members to hold said members in assembled relation, atleast one of said friction members being a wedge.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS LoganDec. 10, 1889 Rosenthal Jan. 2, 1945 OTHER. REFERENCES

